KDOT Release

Dale Hershberger, Area Engineer in Clay Center, will be retiring after 44 years of dedicated service to the Kansas Department of Transportation. His last day of work is March 14.

Hershberger began his career with Finney County in 1978 before joining KDOT in 1980 as an Engineer in Training in Garden City. He then worked as the Harvey County Engineer for a year before returning to KDOT as the Construction Engineer in Marion. In 1989, he was promoted to his current position of Area Engineer in Clay Center.

Throughout his career with KDOT, he is proud to have constructed three roadways on new alignment including the U.S. 50 bypass around Garden City, the new alignment of U.S. 56 from Hillsboro to Marion and making K-18 a 4-lane highway from I-70 to Ogden. In addition, he has worked to reconstruct or rehabilitate I-70 in the area and on several asphalt, overlay or bridge projects across the region.

In retirement, Hershberger plans to organize genealogy documents accumulated by his mother, take trips with his wife around Kansas, take in some of the track events where his youngest son coaches, visit, or as he says, “spoil” the grandchildren and visit all of the lower 48 states.

“I hope everyone has as enjoyable career at KDOT as I have”, says Hershberger. “The challenges always brought opportunity to learn more and apply previous lessons.” Upon leaving KDOT, Hershberger would like to leave workers with advice as he had received and heard many times from his mother when growing up, “Do your best and make your best better.”